Friday, February 1, 2013

Dallas Holocasut Museum

Survivor Magie Furst
 




 
Our adventures today today took us to one of the few museums we have never visited in Dallas, the Dallas Holocaust Museum.  It is so easy to plan a fun visit to an art or historical museum, but it is difficult to get excited about a museum dedicated to a genocide of innocent Jews.

Kindertransport & photo of Magie
and her brother
The kids have read quite a few books including Number the Stars, Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl; and The Hiding Place.  We have even seen the Dallas Jewish Community Center's presentation of Thru the Eyes of a Friend: The Anne Frank Story.  But there is nothing that can prepare you to listen to the first hand account of one of the survivors!  
 
Our home school group, PEACH's field trip today began with a docent led tour of the permanent exhibit. The museum is tastefully day and conveys the horror of the events while equally highlighting the heroes.  Right now there is a special exhibit entitled, Anne Frank: A Private Photo Album.  It is a collection of 71 rarely seen photos taken by her father Otto Frank.  
 
Following our tour we heard personal stories from survivor Magie Furst.  Mrs. Furst is 84 years old and was from Germany.  She and her brother were on a Kindertransport that rescued Jewish children by bringing them to the United Kingdom when she was 10 years old.  At 16 she and her brother and mother all made it to New York where she would later meet and marry another Jewish Holocaust survivor and eventually settle in Dallas.  She was never in a concentration camp etc., but she really helped the youth understand the climate and the turmoil of being separated from her mother, the loss of her father.  She was just an inspiring and powerful woman. 
 
I saw that Groupon currently has discounted prices for the museum, so check that out if you are wanting to attend the museum!

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that
you do not forget the things your eyes have seen
or let them fade from your heart as long as you live.
Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 4:9
 

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